Tales of the Cocktail

Hotel Monteleone is the Official Festival Hotel in New Orleans

Hotel Monteleone is thrilled to be hosting one of the top events of the summer at our New Orleans hotel: Tales of the Cocktail. This New Orleans festival, in its 11th year, brings together the world’s top mixologists, bartenders, and chefs for five days full of cuisine, culture, and most importantly – cocktails. This New Orleans festival takes place July 17-21 and includes a series of seminars, mixing competitions, “spirited luncheons” and dinners. It is also a chance for new and popular liquor brands to showcase their products.

Being a proud host of Tales of the Cocktail, we wanted to share some our favorite New Orleans drinks recipes:

The Sazerac – A New Orleans Classic Cocktail

The Sazerac is the official cocktail of New Orleans and is an old-fashioned variation of a cognac or whiskey cocktail. It is also sometimes referred to as the oldest-known American cocktail, dating back to pre-Civil War New Orleans. Sure to be featured at Tales of the Cocktail. Here is the drink recipe:

1 cube sugar

1½ ounces (35ml) Sazerac Rye Whiskey

3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

Lemon peel

Pack an Old-Fashioned glass with ice. In a second Old-Fashioned glass place the sugar cube and add the Peychaud’s Bitters to it, then crush the sugar cube. Add the Sazerac Rye Whiskey to the second glass containing the Peychaud’s Bitters and sugar. Empty the ice from the first glass and coat the glass with the Herbsaint, then discard the remaining Herbsaint. Empty the whiskey/bitters/sugar mixture from the second glass into the first glass and garnish with lemon peel. (http://www.sazerac.com/cocktail.aspx)

The Hurricane – A Signature New Orleans Cocktail

The Hurricane is a famous New Orleans drink was first prepared in the one and only Pat O’Brien’s. It was intended to be served to sailors passing through – thus the reason for the hurricane-lamp glasses. However, its popularity quickly caught on and has become a mainstay in the French Quarter. Here is the cocktail recipe:

The Ramos Gin Fizz: A New Orleans Cocktail Invented in the Crescent City

The Ramos Gin Fizzwas first made by Henry C. Ramos in 1888 at his bar, the Imperial Cabinet Saloon on Gravier Street in New Orleans. It was very popular before the Prohibition and was made famous by the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans. Here is the drink recipe: